Two new Big Lots stores opening this month in the Las Vegas Valley

Discount retailer Big Lots is opening two new stores in the Las Vegas Valley this month.

The Columbus, Ohio-based chain already has eight locations here.

The new stores will be at 7781 W. Tropical, Las Vegas, in the Centennial Gateway plaza and at 350 W. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson, in the Lake Mead Crossing shopping center near Boulder Highway.

The openings come on the heels of several Big Lots closures. The company closed two valley locations at 230 S. Decatur Blvd. and 3430 E. Tropicana Ave. over the past year.

With about 1,480 locations nationwide, Big Lots regularly opens and closes stores around the country. It opened 92 stores and closed 39 in 2011, for example, while this year it plans to open 90 and close 45.